Remote Sensing Reduces Farm Costs

Telemetry and remote sensing significantly cuts labor costs on agricultural properties. Water supplies for stock are being monitored remotely with water levels being relayed via radio signals back to the homestead.

Besides water levels at bores, animal weight can also be remotely monitored, but more work is needed on this. Water level, however, is by far the most important part of work on cattle stations. At Napperby station near Alice Springs the bore runs for 500km. This used to be checked three times a week. Now a physical check is done only once a week. The Fuel cost for motor vehicles is significantly reduced.

Cattle are more easily monitored because they congregate as a group at water bores. Remote drafting and weighing of cattle is being perfected and this will contribute greatly to cutting labor costs.